Vocal Recording not Sitting well in mix??

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 1:44 pm

Hello,
I have recently been recording some demos, and I am happy with my results thus far; however, my vocals don't seem as full as the other intstruments recorded. Now, most of the intruments (guitar, keys, bass, etc.) have been recorded using multiple mics and tracks. My questions are:

"Do I need to record the vocal using multiple mics?" "How do you achieve a fuller sound without diverting to recording in Stereo?"

My budget is low so what I am using is a Audio-Technica "3035" large diaphram condenser, into a Audio "DMP-3) pre-amp, and that all goes directly into my AKAI DPS12i hard disk recorder.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
NoviceAtBest

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:44 pm

You'll probably need to post an example as every voice is different. I'm probably the wrong person to answer this post but at any rate. In some cases a vocal that sounds good on it's own will sound horrible in the mix. Again, depending entirely on the vox, you might want to try dropping the low end entirely. EI: a low cut filter. (listen to Mariah Carey [cack!] for an example her voice sounds thin but somehow fits in the mix.) You could try dropping some mid, but this is all speculation as I have no idea what your vox sound like. I'm sure someone will come along with some real world advice soon.

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:31 pm

typical tips to fatten up vocals.

tuning: as soon as any instrument jumps into tune it records a million times better, including vocals. So if you are even a little pitchy it may not sound bad, but the chord will not pop. While we are on tuning, tuning live and tuning to record are two different beasts. The margin for error in recording is quite literally zero (or it should be) and being as exposed as vocals usually are, the recording of vocals is not for everyone. At least recording good vocals. Theres always auto tune :o)

Reverb/Delay: A slight delay with good diffusion does wonders to help a vocal be forground enough to be heard, but still sound like part of the mix. Please make sure your delay tempo is N*SYNC with your song.

Doubling: This is just like the name implies. Record yourself twice. CAUTION DANGER CAUTION Use intelligently! I would limit using this to the chorus of the song. Pan both center. take the doubles vol and set it to -inf db, then bring it up above where it sounds good and back it down until your voice is thick and fat, but not obnoxious (unless you are doing rap, then double the whole thing and tripple or more the chourus :oP )

Harmony: Do them, I have yet to hear a song that did not benifit from a good harmony.

Those will get you started.

Tschuess

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:37 pm

I did not mention EQ

boosing super highs will add "air" 17K and up

boosting 1k ish will add head voice (makes the vox more present)

boosting 200/250 will add chest voice (adds more substance)

high pass at 100, below that is just gonna be mud, mud is ickey.

okay now I think I'm done.

nope not yet

compress vocals = yes

okay done.

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 8:49 am

NoviceAtBest wrote:

Hello,
I have recently been recording some demos, and I am happy with my results thus far; however, my vocals don't seem as full as the other intstruments recorded. Now, most of the intruments (guitar, keys, bass, etc.) have been recorded using multiple mics and tracks. My questions are:

"Do I need to record the vocal using multiple mics?" "How do you achieve a fuller sound without diverting to recording in Stereo?"

My budget is low so what I am using is a Audio-Technica "3035" large diaphram condenser, into a Audio "DMP-3) pre-amp, and that all goes directly into my AKAI DPS12i hard disk recorder.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
NoviceAtBest

Dear Mr. AtBest,
I apologize for the fact that you have gotten completely useless information thus far in response to your post, but I must mention that the reason is that you did not provide the proper information from which anyone could draw an answer.

The things Vaylence said are just as wrong as they are right.

What you need to do, really, is post us an example of a half minute or a minute of a song that exhibits this bad vocal vibe you're hearing so we can hear what you're hearing. Then we can probably give you lots of ways to change it. Alternately, if you can't post any files anywhere, you need to describe in excrutiating detail exactly what you mean by "not sitting well" and "not full". Perhaps with examples of commercial records that you think have vocals that do "sit well" and are "full". Even then, without a clip of your own work, we may not be able to help. But we'll get a lot closer.

Anything you hear before that is nothing but "I want to crow about vocals and something I know".

~S

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:24 am

Yeah, post a file.

Meanwhile my best guess is that you are capturing too much of the room sound along with the vocal. Get some duvets hung up round the mic if so..

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